Siding-jack



(No Model.)

B. KERNS.

SIDING JACK.

Patented June 7,

avwemlioz f M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC EMANUEL KERNS, or SIBLEY,ILLINOIS.

SIDING-JACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,260, dated June '7,1887.

Application filed February 4,1887. Serial No. 226,573. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, EMANUEL1{ERNS, a citizenof the United States, residing at Sibley, in the county of Ford andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSiding-Jacks, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention is an improvement in dooring, ceiling,vand sidingjacksfor carpenters use; and it consists in the peculiar constructionand combination of devices, that will be more fully set forthhereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodyingmyimprovements, illustrating the manner of using the same in layingflooring. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my improved jack. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional view of the same, taken on line as w of Fig. 2.Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the shoe or head.

A B represents a pair of jaws, which are pivoted together upon a bolt orrivet, C. The jaws are arranged at such a distance apart as to admit theinsertion of an ordinary piece of studding or joist between them, andthe said jaws are provided on their opposing sides, near their outerends, with projecting studs I).

Thejaw A is provided with a handle, E, and

bears against the opposing side of the arm F,

the function of the said spring being to normally diverge the said arms,so as to open the jaws A and B to their utmost extent.

I represents a shoe or head, which is provided on one side with alongitudinal groove, K, adapted to receive the usual tongues with whichflooring, ceiling, and drop-siding boards are commonly provided. Thisshoe or head I is centrally pivoted on the same bolt or rivet O which isemployed to pivot the jaws to gether, and thereby the shoe or head maybe turned to any desired angle with respect to the arms and jaws.

The operation of my Invention is as follows: When the board to be forcedhome is laid upon the studding, rafter, or joist, the operator graspsthe handles of the jack with one hand and compresses them toward eachother against the resilience of the spring and causes the clamping-jawsto force their studs or points D into opposite sides of the stud,rafter, or joist, the shoe being so directed that the tongue of theboard will enter the groove of the shoe. The studs or points D formfnlcrums or pivotal points, upon which the jack is free to turn when itis arranged in this position, as shown in Fig. 1, and the operator thenforces the outer ends of the arms inwardly over the board, and therebycauses the shoe or head to bear against the tongued outer edge of theboard and force the same snugly into position against the adjacentboard, which has been previously secured in place upon the joists,studs, or rafters. In this manner-the tongued-and grooved boards may belaid in position and secured to form flooring, ceiling, or drop-sidingvery expeditiously.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In ajack, thecombination of the handles E F, having thejaws A B, provided withengaging studs D on their opposing sides, the bolt 0, pivoting the jawstogether, the head or shoe I, Ushaped in cross-section, pivoted on theprojecting end of the said bolt, and the spring adapted to normallydistend theja'ws, substantially as described.

2. A flooring-jack comprisin the jaws A B, pivoted on a bolt, 0, and a hfd or shoe, I, U- shaped in cross-section, i t d also on the same bolt,0, substantially as set fort 3. A flooring-jack comprising the jaws A B,pivoted together, and a shoe, I, pivotally mounted on the pivot of saidjaws, the jaws having handles EF, respectively, and the handle E beingprovided with a curved loop or guard, G, substantially as specified.

In testimony thatIclaim theforegoingas my own I have hereto aflixed mysignatureiu prcs Witnesses:

O. M. Moon, J. J. DOUGHERTY.

